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"If you want a field-of-view equivalent to a 420mm lens on 35mm film
cameras, but not all the time, this is a good choice, assuming you
already have a G7 or G9. If you are a frequent user of such long
focal lengths, you will likely prefer a camera that has it built
in, or better still, a digital SLR."

"This lens works very well outdoors or when there is a lot of light
but is terrible indoors and takes very dark grainy photos. The
photos taken outside with full sun exposure were very good though.
Another problem is that for closer subjects you will see a circle
in the center of your photo until you zoom out enough to move past
this circle. "

"this add-on lens completely obscures the view through the optical
viewfinder, so you have to rely on the LCD screen for framing your
shots. You will need good light to be using a shutter speed that is
fast enough to hold the camera at arm's length, like you need to do
to see the screen, and the visibility of the screen in bright
sunlight can be less than ideal. It can be done. A tripod or
monopod would work better, provided your subject doesn't move
too quickly or erratically. My percentage of keepers shooting birds
in flight, for example, was pretty low. "

"While the G7/G9 lens zooms from 35mm to 210mm (equivalent in
35mm terms), and this 2x converter gets you out to 420mm at the
long end, you can't use it down to the 70mm (=2x35mm)you might
expect, as you will run into severe vignetting. I *think* you can
use it for all or most of the range above 210mm. "

"When I first saw tis lens I was excited about the possibility of
converting my coolpix from a 38-115mm to a 114-345mm lens.
Since this lens front mounts to the existing lens it vignettes at
the wider end of the lens all the way to approx 85mm. Leaving
you with an effective approx. range of only 250-345mm. While
shooting in this range you better have a lot of light on your
subject or a tripod. Otherwise you will get the predictable blurs
from using such a long lens hand held. Since the cool pix is not
the greatest in low light situations this extender compounds those
blur problems. It also blocks the crappy built in flash if you are
using it. Another problem you may notice is the size of this
converter. It's huge for such a small camera. If you bring your
camera for some quick snaps you may not want to lug this lens
around."

"If you want a field-of-view equivalent to a 420mm lens on 35mm film
cameras, but not all the time, this is a good choice, assuming you
already have a G7 or G9. If you are a frequent user of such long
focal lengths, you will likely prefer a camera that has it built
in, or better still, a digital SLR."

"This lens works very well outdoors or when there is a lot of light
but is terrible indoors and takes very dark grainy photos. The
photos taken outside with full sun exposure were very good though.
Another problem is that for closer subjects you will see a circle
in the center of your photo until you zoom out enough to move past
this circle. "

"this add-on lens completely obscures the view through the optical
viewfinder, so you have to rely on the LCD screen for framing your
shots. You will need good light to be using a shutter speed that is
fast enough to hold the camera at arm's length, like you need to do
to see the screen, and the visibility of the screen in bright
sunlight can be less than ideal. It can be done. A tripod or
monopod would work better, provided your subject doesn't move
too quickly or erratically. My percentage of keepers shooting birds
in flight, for example, was pretty low. "

"While the G7/G9 lens zooms from 35mm to 210mm (equivalent in
35mm terms), and this 2x converter gets you out to 420mm at the
long end, you can't use it down to the 70mm (=2x35mm)you might
expect, as you will run into severe vignetting. I *think* you can
use it for all or most of the range above 210mm. "

"When I first saw tis lens I was excited about the possibility of
converting my coolpix from a 38-115mm to a 114-345mm lens.
Since this lens front mounts to the existing lens it vignettes at
the wider end of the lens all the way to approx 85mm. Leaving
you with an effective approx. range of only 250-345mm. While
shooting in this range you better have a lot of light on your
subject or a tripod. Otherwise you will get the predictable blurs
from using such a long lens hand held. Since the cool pix is not
the greatest in low light situations this extender compounds those
blur problems. It also blocks the crappy built in flash if you are
using it. Another problem you may notice is the size of this
converter. It's huge for such a small camera. If you bring your
camera for some quick snaps you may not want to lug this lens
around."

... there is a down side.

Eric Stevens

If people are careful when they buy their p&s, there's no reason to use a
converter.

How many times have we seen DSLR shooters post pics taken with a zoom ending
in the 200mm range? Picking up a p&s with a 200mm zoom isn't that
difficult, and I doubt there are many times when the typical family /
recreational pic will need anything longer.

If one does need something longer, cameras in the 400mm to +500mm range are
available for a cheaper cost than an equivalent DSLR setup.

As for the p&s teleconverters, themselves, as noted above, it is possible to
find some that give good results in bright sunlight. While the setup isn't
going to work for indoor concerts, sporting events, etc, I'm guessing most
people would buy something like that mainly for outdoor usage. Typically, a
420mm lens just isn't going to be of much use at a family reunion,
kindergarten xmas concert, etc...

"If you want a field-of-view equivalent to a 420mm lens on 35mm film
cameras, but not all the time, this is a good choice, assuming you
already have a G7 or G9. If you are a frequent user of such long
focal lengths, you will likely prefer a camera that has it built
in, or better still, a digital SLR."

"This lens works very well outdoors or when there is a lot of light
but is terrible indoors and takes very dark grainy photos. The
photos taken outside with full sun exposure were very good though.
Another problem is that for closer subjects you will see a circle
in the center of your photo until you zoom out enough to move past
this circle. "

"this add-on lens completely obscures the view through the optical
viewfinder, so you have to rely on the LCD screen for framing your
shots. You will need good light to be using a shutter speed that is
fast enough to hold the camera at arm's length, like you need to do
to see the screen, and the visibility of the screen in bright
sunlight can be less than ideal. It can be done. A tripod or
monopod would work better, provided your subject doesn't move
too quickly or erratically. My percentage of keepers shooting birds
in flight, for example, was pretty low. "

"While the G7/G9 lens zooms from 35mm to 210mm (equivalent in
35mm terms), and this 2x converter gets you out to 420mm at the
long end, you can't use it down to the 70mm (=2x35mm)you might
expect, as you will run into severe vignetting. I *think* you can
use it for all or most of the range above 210mm. "

"When I first saw tis lens I was excited about the possibility of
converting my coolpix from a 38-115mm to a 114-345mm lens.
Since this lens front mounts to the existing lens it vignettes at
the wider end of the lens all the way to approx 85mm. Leaving
you with an effective approx. range of only 250-345mm. While
shooting in this range you better have a lot of light on your
subject or a tripod. Otherwise you will get the predictable blurs
from using such a long lens hand held. Since the cool pix is not
the greatest in low light situations this extender compounds those
blur problems. It also blocks the crappy built in flash if you are
using it. Another problem you may notice is the size of this
converter. It's huge for such a small camera. If you bring your
camera for some quick snaps you may not want to lug this lens
around."

... there is a down side.

Eric Stevens

If people are careful when they buy their p&s, there's no reason to use a
converter.

How many times have we seen DSLR shooters post pics taken with a zoom
ending in the 200mm range? Picking up a p&s with a 200mm zoom isn't that
difficult, and I doubt there are many times when the typical family /
recreational pic will need anything longer.

If one does need something longer, cameras in the 400mm to +500mm range
are available for a cheaper cost than an equivalent DSLR setup.

As for the p&s teleconverters, themselves, as noted above, it is possible
to find some that give good results in bright sunlight. While the setup
isn't going to work for indoor concerts, sporting events, etc, I'm
guessing most people would buy something like that mainly for outdoor
usage. Typically, a 420mm lens just isn't going to be of much use at a
family reunion, kindergarten xmas concert, etc...

"If you want a field-of-view equivalent to a 420mm lens on 35mm film
cameras, but not all the time, this is a good choice, assuming you
already have a G7 or G9. If you are a frequent user of such long
focal lengths, you will likely prefer a camera that has it built
in, or better still, a digital SLR."

"This lens works very well outdoors or when there is a lot of light
but is terrible indoors and takes very dark grainy photos. The
photos taken outside with full sun exposure were very good though.
Another problem is that for closer subjects you will see a circle
in the center of your photo until you zoom out enough to move past
this circle. "

"this add-on lens completely obscures the view through the optical
viewfinder, so you have to rely on the LCD screen for framing your
shots. You will need good light to be using a shutter speed that is
fast enough to hold the camera at arm's length, like you need to do
to see the screen, and the visibility of the screen in bright
sunlight can be less than ideal. It can be done. A tripod or
monopod would work better, provided your subject doesn't move
too quickly or erratically. My percentage of keepers shooting birds
in flight, for example, was pretty low. "

"While the G7/G9 lens zooms from 35mm to 210mm (equivalent in
35mm terms), and this 2x converter gets you out to 420mm at the
long end, you can't use it down to the 70mm (=2x35mm)you might
expect, as you will run into severe vignetting. I *think* you can
use it for all or most of the range above 210mm. "

"When I first saw tis lens I was excited about the possibility of
converting my coolpix from a 38-115mm to a 114-345mm lens.
Since this lens front mounts to the existing lens it vignettes at
the wider end of the lens all the way to approx 85mm. Leaving
you with an effective approx. range of only 250-345mm. While
shooting in this range you better have a lot of light on your
subject or a tripod. Otherwise you will get the predictable blurs
from using such a long lens hand held. Since the cool pix is not
the greatest in low light situations this extender compounds those
blur problems. It also blocks the crappy built in flash if you are
using it. Another problem you may notice is the size of this
converter. It's huge for such a small camera. If you bring your
camera for some quick snaps you may not want to lug this lens
around."

... there is a down side.

Eric Stevens

Yes, there is a downside. Listening to your lame, inexperienced, DSLR-troll
advice is the biggest downside. You list the 2 worst ones made. To top it off,
you take the words of those who don't even know how to use their camera
properly. That alone is proved in their descriptions of how they use their
cameras and lenses.

But then ... how would YOU know that. You've NEVER held any camera. You prove
that over and over and over again.

"bugbear" wrote in message
news
Eric Stevens wrote:
... there is a down side.

In other news there is NO ultimate camera.

Resolution, sharpness, convenience, ease of use,
weight, cost, speed of response all vary,
and in some cases conflict.

And that is the basic truth of the matter. Each type of camera and lens and
accessory offers some advantages and some disadvantages. Wise users research
the pros and cons of each, and then make an informed choice according to
their needs and desires.

"bugbear" wrote in message
news
Eric Stevens wrote:
... there is a down side.

In other news there is NO ultimate camera.

Resolution, sharpness, convenience, ease of use,
weight, cost, speed of response all vary,
and in some cases conflict.

And that is the basic truth of the matter. Each type of camera and lens and
accessory offers some advantages and some disadvantages. Wise users research
the pros and cons of each, and then make an informed choice according to
their needs and desires.

Toby

Those even more wise, borne of lifetime of true real-world photography
experience, attempt to correct just a small portion of all the blatant
misinformation and foolishness that is being ignorantly spread by others--those
hoards of internet-idiots who know no better than to parrot what they've read
elsewhere.

Their ignorance and inexperienced opinions corrected with lists like this:

In case you missed them, here's just a few of the vast benefits of P&S cameras
and the huge related drawbacks of ALL DSLRs (some sections further edited for
clarity):

1. P&S cameras can have more seamless zoom range than any DSLR glass in
existence. (E.g. 9mm f2.7 - 1248mm f/3.5.) (100% proved in another thread.)

2. P&S cameras can have much wider apertures at longer focal lengths than any
DSLR glass in existence. (E.g. 549mm f/2.4 and 1248mm f/3.5), and higher quality
full-frame 180-degree circular fisheye and intermediate super-wide-angle views
than any DSLR and its glass in existence. (100% proved in another thread.)

4. P&S cameras are silent. They will not endanger your life when photographing
potentially dangerous wildlife by alerting them to your presence. Or for the
more common snap-shooter/photographer, you will not be barred from using your
camera at public events and ceremonies. Or when trying to capture candid shots,
you won't so easily alert all those within a block around, from the obnoxious
noise that your DSLR is making, that you are capturing anyone's images.

5. P&S cameras can have shutter speeds up to 1/40,000th of a second. Allowing
you to capture fast subject motion in nature (e.g. insect and hummingbird wings)
WITHOUT the need of artificial and image destroying flash, using available light
alone. Nor will their wing shapes be unnaturally distorted from the focal-plane
shutter distortions imparted in any fast moving objects, as when photographed
with all DSLRs. (See focal-plane-shutter-distortions example image link in #7.)

8. Some P&S cameras can run the revolutionary CHDK software on them, which
allows for lightning-fast motion detection (literally, lightning fast, able to
capture lightning strikes automatically) so that you may capture more elusive
and shy animals (in still-frame and video) where any evidence of your presence
at all might prevent their appearance. Without the need of carrying a tethered
laptop along or any other hardware into remote areas--which only limits your
range, distance, and time allotted for bringing back that one-of-a-kind image.
It also allows for unattended time-lapse photography for days and weeks at a
time, so that you may capture those unusual or intriguing subject-studies in
nature. E.g. a rare slime-mold's propagation, that you happened to find in a
mountain-ravine, 10-days hike from the nearest laptop or other time-lapse
hardware. (The wealth of astounding new features that CHDK brings to the
creative-table of photography are too extensive to begin to list them all here.
See http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK )

9. When doing wildlife photography in remote and rugged areas and harsh
environments, or even when the amateur snap-shooter is trying to take their
vacation photos on a beach or dusty intersection on some city street, you're not
worrying about trying to change lenses in time to get that shot (fewer missed
shots), dropping one in the mud, lake, surf, or concrete while you do, and not
worrying about ruining all the rest of your photos that day from having gotten
dust & crud on the sensor. For the adventurous photographer you're no longer
weighed down by many many extra pounds of unneeded glass, allowing you to carry
more of the important supplies, like food and water, allowing you to trek much
further than you've ever been able to travel before with your old D/SLR bricks.

10. Smaller sensors and the larger apertures available allow for the deep DOF
required for excellent macro-photography, WITHOUT the need of any image
destroying, subject irritating, natural-look destroying flash. No DSLR on the
planet can compare in the quality of available-light macro photography that can
be accomplished with nearly any smaller-sensor P&S camera.

11. P&S cameras include video, and some even provide for CD-quality stereo audio
recordings, so that you might capture those rare events in nature where a
still-frame alone could never prove all those "scientists" wrong. E.g. recording
the paw-drumming communication patterns of eusocial-living field-mice.

12. P&S cameras have 100% viewfinder coverage that exactly matches your final
image. No important bits lost, and no chance of ruining your composition by
trying to "guess" what will show up in the final image. With the ability to
overlay live RGB-histograms, and under/over-exposure area alerts (and dozens of
other important shooting data) directly on your electronic viewfinder display
you are also not going to guess if your exposure might be right this time. Nor
do you have to remove your eye from the view of your subject to check some
external LCD histogram display, ruining your chances of getting that perfect
shot when it happens.

13. P&S cameras can and do focus in lower-light (which is common in natural
settings) than any DSLRs in existence, due to electronic viewfinders and sensors
that can be increased in gain for framing and focusing purposes as light-levels
drop. Some P&S cameras can even take images (AND videos) in total darkness by
using IR illumination alone. (See: Sony) No other multi-purpose cameras are
capable of taking still-frame and videos of nocturnal wildlife as easily nor as
well. Shooting videos and still-frames of nocturnal animals in the total-dark,
without disturbing their natural behavior by the use of flash, from 90 ft. away
with a 549mm f/2.4 lens is not only possible, it's been done, many times, by
myself. (An interesting and true story: one wildlife photographer was nearly
stomped to death by an irate moose that attacked where it saw his camera's flash
come from.)

14. Without the need to use flash in all situations, and a P&S's nearly 100%
silent operation, you are not disturbing your wildlife, neither scaring it away
nor changing their natural behavior with your existence. Nor, as previously
mentioned, drawing its defensive behavior in your direction. You are recording
nature as it is, and should be, not some artificial human-changed distortion of
reality and nature.

15. Nature photography requires that the image be captured with the greatest
degree of accuracy possible. NO focal-plane shutter in existence, with its
inherent focal-plane-shutter distortions imparted on any moving subject will
EVER capture any moving subject in nature 100% accurately. A leaf-shutter or
electronic shutter, as is found in ALL P&S cameras, will capture your moving
subject in nature with 100% accuracy. Your P&S photography will no longer lead a
biologist nor other scientist down another DSLR-distorted path of non-reality.

16. Some P&S cameras have shutter-lag times that are even shorter than all the
popular DSLRs, due to the fact that they don't have to move those agonizingly
slow and loud mirrors and shutter curtains in time before the shot is recorded.

17. An electronic viewfinder, as exists in all P&S cameras, can accurately relay
the camera's shutter-speed in real-time. Giving you a 100% accurate preview of
what your final subject is going to look like when shot at 3 seconds or
1/20,000th of a second. Your soft waterfall effects, or the crisp sharp outlines
of your stopped-motion hummingbird wings will be 100% accurately depicted in
your viewfinder before you even record the shot. What you see in a P&S camera is
truly what you get. You won't have to guess in advance at what shutter speed to
use to obtain those artistic effects or those scientifically accurate nature
studies that you require or that your client requires. When testing CHDK P&S
cameras that could have shutter speeds as fast as 1/40,000th of a second, I was
amazed that I could half-depress the shutter and watch in the viewfinder as a
Dremel-Drill's 30,000 rpm rotating disk was stopped in crisp detail in real
time, without ever having taken an example shot yet. Similarly true when
lowering shutter speeds for milky-water effects when shooting rapids and falls,
instantly seeing the effect in your viewfinder. Poor DSLR-trolls will never
realize what they are missing with their anciently slow focal-plane shutters and
wholly inaccurate optical viewfinders.

18. P&S cameras can obtain the very same bokeh (out of focus foreground and
background) as any DSLR by just increasing your focal length, through use of its
own built-in super-zoom lens or attaching a high-quality telextender on the
front. Just back up from your subject more than you usually would with a DSLR.
Framing and the background included is relative to the subject at the time and
has nothing at all to do with the kind of camera and lens in use. Your f/ratio
(which determines your depth-of-field), is a computation of focal-length divided
by aperture diameter. Increase the focal-length and you make your DOF shallower.
No different than opening up the aperture to accomplish the same. The two
methods are identically related where DOF is concerned.

19. ..... this is getting tedious, restating again just some of the
resident-troll's misinformation that I've already disproved, dozens of times
over. I just thought it might be fun to list a few of them all in one place to
make their glaringly obvious stupidity (and the ignorance and inexperience of
all the other virtual-photographer DSLR-trolls) even more glaringly obvious to
the world.

"ResidentTrollSpotter" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:32:50 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:
For those tempted to believe that P&S cameras might be able to offer
Snipped
... there is a down side.

Eric Stevens

Yes, there is a downside. Listening to your lame, inexperienced,
DSLR-troll
advice is the biggest downside. You list the 2 worst ones made. To top it
off,
you take the words of those who don't even know how to use their camera
properly. That alone is proved in their descriptions of how they use their
cameras and lenses.

But then ... how would YOU know that. You've NEVER held any camera. You
prove
that over and over and over again.

You are saying that he lists only the 2 worst ones.

How often have I asked you to tell us which "High Quality" ones you claim to
use.

Your failure to respond leaves the field open for others to make counter
claims. So why are you complaining.

"bugbear" wrote in message
news
Eric Stevens wrote:
... there is a down side.

In other news there is NO ultimate camera.

Resolution, sharpness, convenience, ease of use,
weight, cost, speed of response all vary,
and in some cases conflict.

And that is the basic truth of the matter. Each type of camera and lens
and
accessory offers some advantages and some disadvantages. Wise users
research
the pros and cons of each, and then make an informed choice according to
their needs and desires.

Toby

Those even more wise, borne of lifetime of true real-world photography
experience,
SNIPPED
all the other virtual-photographer DSLR-trolls) even more glaringly
obvious to
the world.

I do not make claims for any particular type of equipment, and happen to
agree with Toby.

You make claims for only one type of equipment, and seem to state that P & S
cameras are the ultimate in every respect.

Worse, you very clearly insult the intelligence of anyone who does not agree
with you.

You never seem to post on any other topic, except to extoll the virtues of P
& S or damn the shortcomings of SLRs.

You keep changing your alias, and have replied to your own postings using
another alias.

AND you seem unwilling or unable to specify which make or models you use.

It is long past the time for you to come clean, and start giving some real
information, instead of just spouting far fetched theory and poisonous bile.

[...]
In case you missed them, here's just a few of the vast benefits of P&S cameras
and the huge related drawbacks of ALL DSLRs (some sections further edited for
clarity):

[snipped a bunch of crap but I figured I'd comment on this one:]
7. P&S cameras do not suffer from focal-plane shutter drawbacks and limitations.
Causing camera shake, moving-subject image distortions (focal-plane-shutter
distortions, e.g.http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/ch...istortions.jpg
do note the distorted tail-rotor too and its shadow on the ground, 90-degrees

I've taken a lot of pictures of helicopters and prop planes with a
DSLR and the blades in all sorts of various directios and not one
shows a curved blade like that

[snipped a whole bunch more crap]

You can spout all the reasons you think P&S cameras are better but the
fact remains that DSLRs and good lenses in general have much better
image quality than any P&S.

Pick the tool for the purpose. Where image quality, reaction speed,
the ability to change important settings (Tv, Av, ISO, etc.) quickly
by using physical dials and buttons instead of going through onscreen
menus) is most important, use a DSLR. Where convenience is most
important, use a P&S. That's why I have several of both.